TEHRAN - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has said that Baghdad and Tehran enjoy strong and friendly ties.

Talabani made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi in Baghdad on Thursday.

The Iraqi president hailed Vahidi’s visit, which was the first by an Iranian defense minister to Iraq since the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979.

Commenting on the scourge of terrorism in the region, Talabani said that the promotion of terrorism in the region only serves Israel’s interests.

During the meeting, Vahidi briefed the Iraqi president on the process of defense cooperation between the two countries.

Syrian govt. does not need other countries’ weapons: Vahidi

Vahidi held a joint press conference with Acting Iraqi Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi in Baghdad on Wednesday, in which he said that there is no limitation in regard to the expansion of ties between the two countries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s relations with Iraq are deep-rooted, and we and the Iraqis have common interests and enemies,” Vahidi stated.

Asked about U.S. claims that Iran is shuttling military equipment to Syria via Iraq and the fact that Iraqi authorities made their first inspection of an Iranian aircraft on Tuesday afternoon and let it fly on to Syria after finding no weapons, Vahidi dismissed the claims and said, “Syria does not require other countries’ weapons in civil conflicts.”

On the claim that Iran is shipping weaponry to Syria, Dulaimi also said, “The purpose of accusing Iran is completely political” and is also meant to compel Iraq to change its stance toward the Arab country.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he commented on regional security and said that the security of the region can be maintained and promoted only through cooperation between regional countries.

During his stay in Baghdad, Vahidi met with a number of other senior Iraqi officials and stated that Iran is ready to provide assistance to the Iraqi Army.

EP/PA

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